Machine for scoring ice by fluid-pressure means



Oct. 22, 1929. G. BRAUNGART. JR., ET AL 1,732,325

MACHINE FOR SCORING ICE BY FLUID-PRESSURE MEANS lf iled Oct. 31, 1927 5 Sheets-Shee w .5 .w m w 5M M R m m a w T Q A 0K w m g B fi 0 3 H MWH 11111 -L Oct. 22, 1929. G. BRAUNGART, JR., ET AL 5 MACHINE FOR SCORING ICE BY FLUID PRESSURE MEANS GBraungarZ; Jr flank Kaye, 32f

INVENTORS.

Filed 001;. 31, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g a Q0 q *9 I I X B fin l 1*, Ill I I I I I 1% w I I z x a f? BY a;

. i 1 "S 5 1 a I E 1 mm; I a C \e F I i i W 'i Q 2* a l A I l W ATTORNEY Get. 22, 1929. G, BRAUNGART, JR., ET AL 1,732,325

MACHINE FOR SCORING ICE BY FLUID PRESSURE MEANS Filed Oct. 31, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORSY,

ATTORNEY I G. Braung ar}, J? Frank Kaye, 5;.

Patented Oct. 22, 1 929 UNITED STATES PATENT oFncE ononen BRAU'NGART, JR, AND FRANK KAYE, sn, or ATLANTA, GEORGIA MAGHINE'FOR SCORING ICE BY FLUID-PRESSURE MEANS Application filed .October 31, 1927. Serial No. 229,913.

This inventionv relates to machines for scoring ice in blocks, so that the blocks may thereafter be readily broken ,into smaller blocks of desired size. j

5 The primary object of the invention isto provide an ice scoring machine with hydraulic or pneumatic means for handling the ice blocks before .or after the process of scoring or during such process as may be desired.

hydraulic waterpressure as a supply of water under pressure is available at an ice making factory. However, if it is desirous of operating the machine herein described in an ice v vault or in any other location where there would bedanger of the water freez1ng,;or, ofmoisture in the air freezing, the machine can beoperated by oil or. other non-freezing l-fluid under pressure. The invention will be clearly understood from a perusal of the followingdetailed description, taken in connection with the ac-' gaging a block of ice in moving the block to or from the machine.

Figure 5 is a detail sectionalfview of the lower part of the framework and showing a hydraulic cylinder. I

Figure 6 represents a block of ice which'has 1 been scored by the machine.

- Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view of a modification similar to the lower 'part of Fig ure 1, and showing a horizontal cylinder for moving a block of ice to or from the machine;

Figure 8 is an end View of the elevator cage, the view showing a modification of the panel or bottom of the cage. Figure9 is a detail view of a valve for "controlling thehydraulic pressure.

Figures 10 and 11 are sectional detail views The machineis capable of operation by.

to the bar 15 by the link 16.

of the valve Figure 10 showing the valve in position to raise the ice and Figure 11 showing the valve in reverse or exhaust position.-

Proceeding in accordance with the drawings and wherein different numerals denote the various parts of the machine, 1 denotes a framework having a platform or support for the motors 2. The motors are connected to drive the "shafts 3, one on each side of the machine, journalled in the bearings 4, and which carry the rigidly mounted saws 5 which score the ice block crosswise. On one end of the shafts 3 are disposed bevelgears 6 in mesh with similarly constructed gears 7. The gears 7 are mounted on the vertical shafts 8, upon which are rigidly mounted saws 9, the saws 9 being for the purpose of scoring the blocks of ice 8 lengthwise. In thisarrangement it will be obvious that the machine is capable of scoring the ice blocks crosswise only, asindicated at 10, lengthwise only, as at 11,'or both lengthwise and crosswise, as may be desired.

Referring to Figure 1, on top of the framework is mounted a hydraulic cylinder 12, including a piston rod- 13 having a piston inside the'cylinder. The piston rod 13 is attachedto an elevator cage consisting of the spaced vertical members 14, connected by the bar 15 and the lower ice-supporting element or panel 17 The piston rod 13 is connected Connected to the cyli der 12 is a pipe 18 which leads to a fluid pressure supplyof any preferred form. In the pipe line 18 is a valve 19, shown in detail in Figure 9 and in section in Figures 10 and 11. Connected to the valve is also an exhaustpipe 20. The valve includes an operating handle 21. On the valve stem 22 is a disk 23 provided with a notch 24, The valve mechanism also includes a weighted lever 25 and a lever 26, the lever being normally held in the notch by a spring 27. On the piston rod 13 is a trip member 28. These parts will bereferred to hereinafter in the operation of the machine.

' The valve 19 is seated in a housing 29 which includes the inlet port 30, outlet port 32 and exhaust port33, and the'valveis provided with ports 34:, 35 and. 36 which when registered in the positions shown permit inlet of fluid pressure through the valve to the cylinder and from the cylinder to exhaust as shown in the drawings.

The invention also provides means for carrying a block of ice into the machine, or from the machine which is provided for by the horizontal cylinders 37, hereinafter referred to more particularly, or the ice may be handled manually as preferred. From the foregoing description it will bereadily seen that it is possible to remove the horizontally disposed saws and'by the operation of the vertical saws score the ice bloc-ks vertically only. It is also possible to operate the machine in such a manner that the ice blocks couldbe scored horizontally after being scored vertically, or by placing the ice in at the opposite end of the machine, the ice blocks could be scored vertically before being scored horizontally.

By reference to Figures 4 and 5 it will be seen that the cylinder 37 has a piston rod 38 and on which is rigidly attached a trip member 89. The liquid pressure pipe 18 is connected to the cylinder 37 by a lateral 39 and wherein is arranged a valve 10. The lateral 39 also has connectlon 39 with the exhaust pipe 20. Attached to the opposite end of the cylinder is also a pipe 41 which on operation of the valve will move the piston in this cylinder to normal position, i. e., that shown in Figure 1. Operation of the valve will admit liquid pressure to move the rod 38 to place the trip 39 behind a block of ice'as indi- Ordinarily a block of ice may be placed on the platform 41, moved inward by the trip 39,

thence into the cage 14, where it is elevated and scored crosswise by the saws 5, then lowered, the saws passing through the kerfs cut. Then the block of ice is or may be drawn outward by moving the ice from the cage by hand along the platform to delivery, without scoring it longitudinally. The trip 39 has a weighted end 39 and the block of ice when length at 17 to permit the trip 39 to move pushed against the trip in one direction will cause the trip to tilt over and will right itself when the end of the block has passed over it' the pin 39 then holdi-ngthe trip upright to bear against the ice.

In Figure 8 is shown a modification of the cage or lifting means and wherein the bottom or panel 17 is grooved. through its entire clear through the machine. In this manner a block of ice may be scored longitudinally-only and passed from end to end of the machinethe reception being at one end and delivery effected at the other. Figure 7 shows the positionand arrangement ofthe cylinder 37,

rod 38, trip 39 and longitudinal groove 42 for bringing this about.

The machine may be operated with or without the use of the horizontally disposed cylinder or cylinders, just as desired. In operation of the machine without the horizontal cylinder, the operator places a block of ice in the elevator cage, which is then in its lowermost. position and opens the valve 19 by manipulation of the handle 21. This admits liquid pressure under the piston in the cylinder 12, whereupon the cage and block of ice are raised. The ice is then scored crosswise or vertically by the saws 5, the block rising until the lower edge of the ice is level or about level with the horizontal saw shafts. Nowthe block could be lowered by a reverse movement of the handle 21, but to enhance the practicability and usefulness of the machine, there is provided the arrangement shown in Figure 9. In this arrangement, when the operator pulls the handle 21 to open the pressure control valve 19, it is held in open position by the lever 26, the dog 26*- falling into the notch 2 1 0n the disk 23, and when the,

elevatorhas reached its highest ascending point, the trip 28 on the rod 13 comes in con tact with the lower end of the lever 26.- This lifts the dog from the notchand the weight. returns the valve to normal closed position again, permitting ice and elevator to descend. WVhen the ice has returned to its original p'osition'at the bottom of the machine, it can be removed by hand, another block inserted and the process repeated. It willbe readily 1111:; derstoodthat when operated in this manner it would be possible to remove the horizontal saws and by operating the vertical saws, score the ice blocks vertically only. It is also possible to operate the machine in such a manner; that ice blocks could be scored horizontally after the vertical scoring operation, or by placing the ice blocks in at the other end of the machine the blocks could be scored vertically before scoring horizontally. Referringto the valves 19 and 40, it will be obvious from Figures 10 and 11 that when liquid pressure is admitted throughpipe 18 to the right in the drawing, such pressure will pass through the Valve and lift the piston. in cylinder 12, and that when the dog 26 is released, the valve will then assume theposition shown in Figure 11,'i. e., the exhaust liquid passing into the pipe 20, the port 34 being closed. y r Practically the same operation will take place in the valve 40, this valve being operated by the handle 40 but being a fourway valve.

'eration will of course be reversed when the piston has moved to the opposite end of the cylinder.

The machine is cap able of further modifications in keeping with the spirit of the invention and in keeping with the scope and meaning of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In an ice scoring machine, an ice carrier adapted to be raised vertically for scoring the ice, a single fluid pressure cylinder mounted above said carrier, and having a piston rod connected at its lower end to the carrier, a trip carried by said piston rod, a valve for controlling the pressure to said cylinder, a pivoted dog for holding said valve in position to supply pressure to the cylinder, said dog having a lever arm extending into the path of said trip, whereby the dog will be withdrawn and the valve released as the piston rod is raised to a predetermined level, and means for closing the valve as soon as the valve is released.

In testimony whereof we tures.

aflix our signa- GEORGE BRAUNGART, JR. FRANK KAYE, 

